Meyer Burger reveals locations for new cell, module plants in Germany
Production of highly efficient solar cells and modules will start at two sites in Germany from the first half of 2021. The Swiss tech group plans to eventually expand annual production to 5 GW.
Printed protection for perovskite cells
Scientists led by the University of Cambridge have developed a new method to print a protective layer of copper directly onto a perovskite solar cell, providing protection to the active layer from damage often caused in later production stages. Cells using this layer were tested in various tandem combinations with silicon cells and achieved a maximum efficiency of 24.4%.
Interview: How a German startup aims to alleviate energy poverty with circular solar solutions
SunCrafter is a small German startup with a global ambition: to alleviate energy poverty by upcycling used solar PV modules. Having established an innovative business model, which sees it subsidizing its goals by meeting the infrastructure needs of big events and festivals, it has now partnered with EU-funded project Circusol to demonstrate the viability of circular renewables. pv magazine interviewed SunCrafter CEO and co-founder Lisa Wendzich as part of the UP initiative’s circular manufacturing quarterly theme.
Hitachi ABB Power Grids India wins $16 million order
The company has bagged an order from state-run Chittaranjan Locomotive Works to supply transformers for locomotive engines.
US installed more solar in Q1 2020 than ever before
The record-setting quarter was driven by nearly 2 GW of utility-scale solar, supplemented by another 1.6 GW of residential capacity. And while the pandemic will slow the industry in 2020, five-year projections are strong, especially for Texas.
PV mini-grid to back Congolese agriculture
Equatorial Power and SustainSolar are installing containerized, off-grid solar battery power systems to support farming projects on an island in Lake Kivu.
First-half solar funding fell by a quarter as Covid-19 bit
The latest PV finance report released by Mercom Capital had solar investment falling almost entirely across the board with the number of new solar funds launched in the last three months offering a rare piece of good news.
Enel joins the Indian solar gold rush
The Italian utility, fresh from securing its first 300 MW of PV generation capacity in the country in a recent, record-setting tender, has teamed up with the state-owned Norwegian Investment Fund to commit to further clean energy facilities in India.
EU hydrogen strategy could drive 120 GW of renewables capacity
The European Commission has outlined a long-anticipated plan it says could unlock up to €340 billion for new solar and wind projects over the next decade. The 30-year strategy envisages up to €470 billion being spent on electrolyzer capacity.
Off-grid Brazil: extending beyond isolated communities
The Brazilian power grid reaches approximately 99% of the country’s population. To connect the remaining 1% has been challenging – often located in isolated communities of regions that are difficult to reach. With increasing global adoption of solar+storage, and significant price drops across the two technologies over the past decade, the solution is showing promise for the remote Brazilian market. Solar+storage is becoming a more competitive solution than its most popular alternative – diesel – to supply the needed power for off-grid communities. And now, even grid-connected residential properties are opting for independence.
